El Olivo

Olive trees are one of our favorite arboreal treasures, so Sean couldn't resist a plein-air moment capturing one of these 400 year-old beauties in Arcos.

In fact, if he had to live his life on Earth as a tree, he would be an Olive Tree. They thrive in warm, dry Mediterranean climates, and this makes Sean a very happy man!

What type of tree would you be?

Vista Vision

This is the vista vision that greets us from the courtyard of our Arcos Hotel - inspirational indeed.

What landscapes inspire you?

[photograph by Reverie-Daydream]

Papa's Day

“A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty.”

~Anonymous

My beloved Sean,

Thank you for being the most incredible Papa to our Gaia Miette.

We both believe you hung the moon.

Happy Papa's Day!

[photo taken by Simply Mel of her dreams come true]

A Spanish Garden

This beautiful garden is located in the Museo Sorolla (the former home and atelier of Joaquín Sorolla). Designed by the artist himself and inspired by Andalusia, it was planted between 1915 and 1916. While sitting in this gorgeous spot located in the heart of Madrid, we reveled in a very peaceful reprieve and captured a memorable moment to cherish for a very long time.

[Sorolla's Garden - Museo Sorolla]

Sorolla: Visions of Spain

Today, we attended the Sorolla Exhibition at the Museo Nacional del Prado. Joaquín Sorolla, an early 20th Century Master painter of portraits and landscapes, is receiving well-deserved attention in one of the most important ever organized exhibitions, in Spain and abroad, with regard to the number of works and their quality. The exhibition includes around one hundred paintings by Sorolla, the most internationally known Spanish artist of his day, and provides a comprehensive collection of paintings based on examples of his finest works and the fourteen panels (murals) known as the Vision of Spain painted for The Hispanic Society of America. Being able to behold so many of Sorolla's masterpieces, in the Prado, has been the perfect prelude to our week in Madrid.

[El Baile - one of the fourteen Vision of Spain panels]

The Travail of The Dreamer

The true artist works rather in great gusts of effort, and in smaller gusts

of apparent lassitude. He is not laying about "waiting for some inspiration."

He is in the travail of the dreamer entering into expression.

Now when you see the artist sitting thoughtfully before his blank canvas,

don't call him lazy. Realize what huge gulfs exist between a thing of

dreams and the exact science of mathematics.

Know that the dream is as necessary to the birth of any idea

as mathematics is to the exactness of its consummation.

An artist must neither be too dreamy, nor too mathematical.

He must dream and he must paint.

~John F. Carlson

[We depart for Spain tomorrow morning. Sean is attending an artist workshop, and I'm going to perfect my peripatetic skills with my little crumb in tow! Once we settle into Madrid, we promise to share our Spanish tales with you. Hasta pronto!]

Stone Fruit Pleasures

When I arrived at the Farmer's Market this weekend, I was in total heaven with all the stone fruit choices that were beautifully displayed before me. I couldn't stop tasting all the varietals of nectarines, cherries, peaches, and apricots. With my basket overflowing, I knew there was a fruit crumble in our future! This is a very simple dessert I make throughout the year with any seasonal fruit of choice. When I prepared it this afternoon, I tried to pay attention to the measurements because I usually just mix everything together and hope for the best. Trust me, it is extremely easy and incredibly delicious!

Cherry-Peach Crumble

serves 4

1/2 pound organic cherries

2-3 organic peaches

1 cup organic Muesli

1/4 cup organic brown sugar

6 tbsp. unsalted organic butter [softened]

Cut fruit into small pieces and place into a baking dish [9x9 or something similar].

In a bowl, mix muesli, brown sugar and butter together forming a 'chunky' mixture.

Sprinkle the topping over the fruits.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling and topping is golden.

Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

Field of Daydreams

How beautiful it is to do nothing,

and then rest afterwards.

~Spanish Proverb

[photo by Reverie-Daydream]